If you build a great business based on something over
which you have no control, and which is such that the
ones who do have control actually may have an interest
in cloning what you do and terminating your facility
without warning, be sure to have a "Plan B".
Yes, sounds obvious, but so many people seem to ignore it, and in some cases actively disagree with it. You seem to be disagreeing with it - what would you suggest as more useful advice and a more reasonable stance?
Honestly, would you build a business based on a Twitter or Facebook facility, relying entirely on them not arbitrarily terminating your access?
Perhaps to realise these companies are walled garden abberations, and that in an open competitive world, the Eco system would exist but the monopoly would not.
As such encourage and build openness by default into your products, as for sure users want that (how many people for example wanted only to email other AOL users, or view only other AOL websites?
Honestly, would you build a business based on a Twitter or Facebook facility, relying entirely on them not arbitrarily terminating your access?
What is your advice?